one of my favorite crime thrillers and shows of all time.
omg i finished it finally...what en ending!! this show was insanely good and i loved how it turned out. some people think it got too political in the second half, but i think that it shed more light on han joowon and lee dongshik's growth (especially joo won). i started off the show with a distrust and dislike of joowon but eventually he earned his place as one of my favorite characters in this show. dongshik and his relationship really was such a treat to watch develop!! shin hakyun and yeo jingoo good job!! same goes for all the other actors, they were so amazing, especially the manyang gang. the family bond that developed was def my favorite, and i loved how everyone had such distinct personalities. it made for such an interesting character study. the writing was beyond my expectations, how did kim soojin manage to tie all the plot points together like that? seriously one of my favorite shows because of how tight it is-a masterclass in writing truly.the one thing i would cringe at a bit was do haewon and lee changjin (especially when changjin would speak in russian randomly, idk i always just find it a bit strange when characters randomly inject other languages into their own speech). they were not my fav characters because they seemed a bit comical at times when they shouldn't have been.
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It doesn't have masses of blood, blockbuster style action scenes or romance, but it does have more than its share of shocking moments, an intelligent script, some laughs and what I found to be a gripping story.
I loved the characters; proper villains and a blurring of what makes a good detective. Tested friendships and what seems, at times, blind loyalty from some.
Dong Shik and Joo Won are polar opposites and neither trusts the other at all, for varying reasons that are slowly brought to light as the story grows. They have to work together though and so a relationship of trust/mistrust yo-yos with each episode.
The tragedies in several cast members' pasts are also uncovered and these link characters together in unexpected ways.
Almost everyone looks guilty at some point and the way in which key crime scenes are shown in multiple scenarios, to fit a given character's statement, is brilliant. It also makes it way harder to decide who's done exactly what.
Shin Ha Kyun is excellent in his portrayal of Dong-shik, veering from warm and funny, to maniacal in an instant. His whole face changes when he smiles, but the next minute he can look very scary!
Yeo Jin-goo gives a very understated performance of a character repressing a lot of his thoughts and feelings; no over acting here, thankfully!
The entire cast were great. I particularly felt for Jung Je, such a tormented character, so well played by Choi Dae-hoon. There are some really sycophantic, nasty and loathsome, as well as sweet, caring and strong, characters in this.
A great story with a solid ending.
Oh and I loved the trailing violin music, Bibi's 'Timeless' and gritty song, 'The Night' from Choi Baek-ho; perfect soundtrack.
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This review may contain spoilers
Alright, where do I begin?So… I actually not quite liking the first 5 episodes, though I was still continue watching it, I thought that the story was circling around and it was really annoying to watch. Plus, i don’t like how Yeo Jin Goo in act in those first episodes. He acted kinda awkward with his ‘oh-so-cold-and-mysterious’ character, I think he just wasn’t suited with that kind of character ?. And the ending too… I think it’s too abrupt, the resolution was only being told by some news in the tv? Like… c’mon it could have been better.
But, you know what? I eventually end up loving this drama, lol. There were some really great moments from mid to end. Well, especially in the middle. At some points, I thought I was still stuck watching around episode 9-10, but turns out I was already at episode 14 lmao ? because the middle was so more-ish(?) and I can’t take my eyes off my screen.
As I’ve said above, I don’t like the first 5 episodes. I thought this drama would took the usual dragging route, just like some of kdramas in this kind of genre. Well, until I realized that Beyond Evil is actually a slow-burn character-driven drama. That’s why the plot rely heavily on the characters. And I think the actors really does a good job on potraying their roles, especially Shin Ha Kyun. That man is a beast. His acting is just as magnificent as ever, dang. His chemistry with other actors (especially Yeo Jin Goo) is really damn great, I don’t even have a word to describe it.
And… speaking about Yeo Jin Goo, as I’ve said before, he was kinda awkward in the first few episodes. The good thing is, from mid to end, his character has some kind of switch and becomes more ‘humane’, and Yeo Jin Goo’s acting suddenly become really good, and I guess maybe it was because he suits the more ‘humane’ character ??♀️.
If I have to mention a western series similar to this…. maybe Mare of Easttown? Both kinda has the same formula, but Beyond Evil is the longer version of it. Well, all in all, Betond Evil is still a very solid kdrama. If you don’t like of how ‘heavy’ this drama is, just watch for the acting, I promise it won’t disappoint you.
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Psychological slice of life
I went in expecting a dark crime thriller.I did kinda get it, but not really.
Simply speaking, the "whodunit" isn't the main focus here. The culprit is revealed very early, and then the story is stuck in a situation where the audience knows, the main characters know, the side characters don't know and misunderstandings, paranoia, and tragedies follow.
The main appeal of this series is watching these people destroy themselves, and observe their personal tragedies over the span of 20 years. Here I have to commend the actor playing Lee Dong-sik, he did a spectacular job playing a conflicted and disillusioned cop who was done dirty by life and society. He was an extremely likable and sympathetic character, which unfortunately can't be said about some other characters, including the other male lead. Han Joo-won, for the most of the story, is busy being self-righteous jerk who can only see what's in front of him and jumps to conclusions way too quickly.
However, unlike in some other works of fiction, this is not meant to be because he is a surrogate for a clueless viewer. His attitude is certainly meant to be a fault of his-as by the time the audience already knows the killer, he still kept grasping at straws and making a mess. I felt like maybe the authors were making fun of typical crime drama protag here, but the parody was neither particularly funny nor compelling.
The villains(other than the killer, that character was pretty cool all things considered) were also a miss. These people were very one-dimensional, and felt a bit like they came from Saturday cartoon(is that still a thing?) than a serious psychological drama. Including their various character gimmicks that were a bit silly, especially that horrible broken russian, really I can speak Russian so it was just really really bad. The drama admits that the character in question can't really speak Russian well, so his russian is supposed to be bad, but that doesn't make it any less jarring.
The pacing is slow af, so that's a thing too. Not what I'd normally expect from this kinda series. I had to kinda force myself to watch some episodes, even tho the payoffs were usually worth it.
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Flawed but tender
Beyond Evil is a stunning slow boil thriller that ekes out tension of every possibility until what remains is endless ache. I still don't like the awful ableism of the show, which the show insists upon even in the last episode. And I definitely do not like cops, but the show doesn't like them either. Proceed with caution. Shin Hakyun and Yeo Jingoo have excellent chemistry and gave great performances that made me dive into their filmographies. Score is unusually warm and jazzy for a mystery show (and god I hate that BIBI song, it's extremely grating) but works well since the show is actually a melodrama more in line with something like Magnolia (1999) (a film Shin Hakyun loves, or at the very least likes as far as public knowledge goes). Formally excellent but falters in its imagination occasionally. I have brainrot for Juwon and Dongsik for days. More please?Was this review helpful to you?
This is one where in addition to your fantastic mains, all of the other actors also did a great job with their roles so it didn't feel like anyone was pulling any heavy weight for the rest. The plot maintained enough suspense to keep the momentum going and the pacing worked well. Unlike many others in its genre, there wasn't any glaring or obvious issues with how the crimes scenes were managed and it doesn't rely on excess dramatization to keep it interesting. Although some actions/reactions didn't always seem to fit the characters, it's easy to overlook because we in the real world aren't always rational.
The minor disconnect I had was they tried to interweave too many players into the underlying plot without providing enough background/focus on some of them. They gave just enough for you to see the connections but not enough for you to really feel them, if that makes sense. Because of this, it can slightly feel as if the plot drags on for just a bit at times. Nevertheless, the character developments were done well and the dynamic between Shin Ha Kyun and Yeo Jin Goo in itself makes it worthwhile to check out.
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~Shin Ha Hyun’s acting chops is mind-blowing! He gives you the creeps, makes you hate him, cry for him, pity him and love him.
~The plot is nothing new to serial murders and crime thrillers but the execution and plot reveal bits by bits adding psychological point of view and a touch of dark humor is what has made all the difference
~Yoo Jin Goo and the remaining cast are able to deliver emotionally raw performances as well with the best of the dialogues at hand
~The push and pull between the two male leads and the character growth by the end of the drama is really wholesome and surprising
~The portrayal of mentally unstable characters and untrustworthy POVs is another high point as well
~Props to the jazz music OST that fits perfectly with the eerie vibes of the drama
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impeccable and *muah* chef's kiss
OK, let's go.This drama is really going to be one of the best of the year.
First of all, I just love police dramas, police investigation and even more, police dramas set outside of seoul. I think my favorite dramas aren't set in seoul.
I admit I started this series just for the sake of it, I didn't think it was going to be really that great.
The setting and characterization of the characters was something that really got to me, throughout the drama I kept asking myself "why is he protecting them like that?" "why do they do that?" and that made it all that much more meaningful. At first you are a foreigner watching from the outside, but then you become one of them.
Speaking of the characters, Lee Dong Sik has all my love. I never distrusted him, not even when he was really suspicious LOL, I really trusted what he was doing and feeling, he's just my protégé. Now… Han Ju Won, he really pissed me off. In the first few episodes I really questioned why they chose such an annoying protagonist, he was unbearable, but after a while... he was still annoying as hell. I admit that I only stopped hating him in the last three episodes, but I started to understand why he was so annoying.
Dong Sik's friends, each of them was significant in their own way, Nam Sang Bae, Ji Hwa, Ji Hoon and Jae-I were my favorites, although I liked Park Jeong Je.
I managed to get attached to the characters but was still able to let go a little bit when something bad happened. And the complicity of all of them was very interesting.
I should also say that: even though Ju Won bothered me with his inconvenient ways, I thought it was very good how he, even upset, stood up against his father when necessary and did not get in the way when Dong Sik pointed out that there was something strange.
Cop dramas make me itch with anxiety, but I really enjoy it.
Now, about the plot, I thought it was really cool how they showed what happened several times, but every time with new details. Besides, even if the objective is "who killed Dong Sik's sister?" they still put it in a way that it didn't get tiring from it. All the deaths, all the connections were really surprising, all the ends were tied up nicely. I found the "villains" really motivated, they had a goal and that's what they wanted.
In the end, I liked how they all received punishment for their actions, even Dong Sik who didn't "do it out of malice" and Jeong Je who wasn't entirely guilty. I thought it was really cool how they didn't solve all the problems with suicide and how all the characters had a direction.
I really loved the experience of watching Beyond evil, each episode was emotional and the feeling of existential emptiness will take time to leave me ( ಥ_ಥ)
Oh, I need to add that Shin Ha Kyun's acting really was one of the most impeccable things I've ever seen. He really shows several performances with mastery, really a perfect actor.
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Mixed feelings
I just finished the series and I truly don't know how to feel about it.I'm going to start with the positive stuff - the cast, acting and soundtrack are all perfect. I especially applaud the actors, who played Juwon and Dongsik - outstanding performances from the both of them. The soundtrack flows beautifully and is just perfect for this series.
However, the story is quite messy and I questioned a lot of the characters' actions. The show falls flat after episode 8, but gets better again after episode 13. Episodes 9-12 were painfully boring to watch. The plot in general is quite hard to follow and confusing, that's why I'm rating the rewatch value at a 10, because then you can rewatch it and try to piece this confusing story together with the context of the characters' motivations and goals. The plot got predictable at times to the point the plot twists could be seen coming from a mile away. The show also left me with some questions, but the most common word in those questions was why. Why did dongsik say nothing when he realised who killed minjeong? Why do none of the characters trust each other? Why did kihwan not stop when he saw yuyeon on the road?
And most importantly, how did they get yuyeon's body in the wall without dongsik knowing? (not a why question but still).
Although this series was frustrating to watch at times, I will happily return to it to give it another chance.
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Came for the actors and stayed for the characters!
I watched the entire show in 2 days. That says a lot for me because I take my time when I watch Tv shows. I mostly just let the story unravel itself as the characters slowly weave their way into my heart but with 'Beyond Evil' I couldn't bring myself to wait.1. ACTING- The actors are the biggest strength of this show and I don't just mean the main leads.
The MLs though, on top of being ridiculously handsome, the way they played their roles is what made me swoon over them and excitedly wait for them to appear on the screen. I would smile wide everytime and then when they were on together, don't get me started! The tension and vibe *everytime* (which is kind of the key word here) got me jumping and clapping like a seal. (No exaggeration).
Every character holds a place in your heart and all the credit goes to the casting! It really was an amazing bunch. Their "FRIENDSHIP" is really heartwarming to watch, the way they care for each other and come together, you cannot help but fall in love with them.
2. BROMANCE- It's kind of all that I need in a show sometimes and this show gives you all kinds of feels. The relationship between the two MLs starts off as a storm, definitely makes you question your choice and wonder whether there is any bromance in the show at all but as the episodes progress, its unravels very beautifully and then makes your heart melt. It easily was one of the most angsty bromances I've watched and I cannot explain the emotional rollercoster they put me through together.
There is one more pair in the show, mostly in the background, but it surely pulls your strings in a different way.
3. CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT- I REALLY loved the characters- if it isn't already obvious. And I'm a sucker for character development and this show definitely gives you some major turns. It kind of becomes the base of the show.
4. MUSIC AND PRODUCTION- It's very believable and really pulls you in, especially the parts where the puzzles start to fit in place.
5. STORY- It's not particularly the best story, sure there's suspense and some emotional and shocking components but it's not that unpredictable. The serial killer trope is what I came for but the show halfway through loses that concept. I'm not complaining. I don't even consider it as a big disadvantage, like I said the characters totally manage to make you forget all about the plot issues and just make you want more.
A few episodes are messy- not the best but no show is ever perfect. There are no filler episodes though, each moment is important to the story but it gets a little messy half way through. Maybe 2 episodes somewhere in the middle but it's still enough to keep your interest hooked.
6. Shin Ha Kyun. His eyes. I'm just putting it there. You'll know when you watch the show. His character is extraordinarily selfless.
SO, YES! It's an amazing show. Definitely worth a watch. Just continue watching even if it feels slow because the characters really don't let you drop the show and just make you want more.
Have fun!
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Deserve the Baeksang Award
I can't asked for a better crime thriller drama. Beyond Evil, honestly exceeded beyond my expectations. Both Yeo Jin Goo and Shin Ha Kyun gave their best performance. Not only that, I love the flow of the storyline. The show had two parts divided equally and perfectly. Episode 1 to 8 contains the first part while episode 9 to 16 holds the 2nd part. And how they relate both parts so perfectly is really amazing. Would have give them a 10 if only they didn't hinted the loveline between Han Ju Won and the girl (can't remember her name) towards the end. I just think that it wasn't necessary for them to put it in but nonetheless it was really good and amazing.Was this review helpful to you?
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Superb thriller drama of 2021!
After all the cheesy romance kdramas, this one feels like a breeze of fresh air.The story can be divided into 2 parts: part 1 is who-done-it type of show and part 2 is about how to catch the culprit(s). I find part 1 is wonderfully made with slow pacing at first and then when it hits climax it's perfection, like a symphony. Part 2 is when the "teamwork" (which is build up in part 1) is finally paid off and it's beautiful to see these stubborn characters work together. However, I find part 2 leans a bit much on stereotypical tropes of evil chaebols/people in power and therefore predictable as well. Moreover, the drama also sometimes heavy-handed its message that bad people must be punished by the system (even if it's the same system that enables them, in this case they only point out the "few bad apples" in the Korea justice system w/o seeing the pattern of abused power). Overall, there was storytelling magicality to the screenplay, the choice of music for each scene makes it more whimsical. Suspense builds up at the end of each episode. There is subtleness to the dialogues spoken by characters which is crucial to the plot & overall aesthetics. It was aesthetically pleasing drama with black, gray & brown color schemes mostly.
The acting of all characters are amazing throughout, of course especially Dong Shik (now I understand why he won best actor). Yeo Jin Goo surprises me because he's so young but very talented as well and doesn't get outshined by Shin Ha Kyun. The characterisations of the 2 main leads are wonderfully executed with satisfying conclusion arc, when they finally find peace within themselves (I'm so glad none of them die). However, I wish we got to see more of Joo Won backstories which hopefully explains his strong moral code (because it's the main drive of his character but he definitely doesn't get it from his parents). I also find it a bit unrealistic that the show implies that both of them seems to do fine (mentally) after the culprits have been caught which is kinda unrealistic with how erratic they behave throughout the show for a long period of time (they should both get therapy tbh).
The music is memorable which is rare for me with a thriller kdrama. I'd def rewatch my favorite scenes sometimes.
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